BLACK ROCKFISH

David Sampson

Latin name: Sebastes melanops/Sebastes spp. 

Black Rockfish is a nearshore bottom-dwelling species that is a key component of the marine recreational fisheries in Oregon, supporting an active fleet of charter and private boats. During the five-year period ending with 2017 the marine recreational fishery in Oregon caught slightly more than 1.8 million individual black rockfish, weighing about 1,960 metric tons. Black rockfish are also caught by nearshore commercial fishing operations off Oregon and throughout their range (from Baja California to Alaska). In the US West Coast region, black rockfish are managed by the Pacific Fishery Management Council, with the primary management tool being annual catch limits that are based on stock assessments that evaluate trends in stock size and status. Dr. David Sampson developed two Council-approved stock assessments, for Oregon and California combined in 2007 and for Oregon alone in 2015.

Publications: 

https://www.pcouncil.org/groundfish/stock-assessments/by-species/black-rockfish/